SIGNAL OPERATED TOOLS FOR MILLING, DRILLING, AND/OR FISHING OPERATIONS

• US 20090266544A1
• Filed: 05/05/2009
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC (Weatherford International PLC)
• Original Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC (Weatherford International PLC)
• Inventors: Heiskell, Wesley Don, Redlinger, Thomas M., Vreeland, Christopher M., Antoine, Andrew, McIntire, Scott, Koithan, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,991,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/298
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/023 Arrangements for connecting cables or wirelines to downhole devices
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/06 Releasing-joints, e.g. safety joints
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/103 Down-hole by-pass valve arrangements, i.e. between the inside of the drill string and the annulus valves specifically for maintaining circulation of drilling fluid while connecting or disconnecting tubular joints E21B21/019
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/00 Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/02 for locking the tools or the like in landing nipples or in recesses between adjacent sections of tubing E21B23/03 - E21B23/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/14 for displacing a cable or a cable-operated tool, e.g. for logging or perforating operations in deviated wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/005 with a radially-expansible cutter rotating inside the pipe, e.g. for cutting an annular window
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/06 Cutting windows, e.g. directional window cutters for whipstock operations E21B29/005 and E21B29/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 31/107 using impact means for releasing stuck parts, e.g. jars
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 31/113 hydraulically-operated
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 31/12 Grappling tools, e.g. tongs or grabs
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/12 operated by movement of casings or tubings
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 4/02 Fluid rotary type drives
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/108 Expandable screens or perforated liners
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/00 Survey of boreholes or wells monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/09 Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells , e.g. the position of an extending arm; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/13 by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/138 Devices entrained in the flow of well-bore fluid for transmitting data, control or actuation signals
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/068 drilled by a down-hole drilling motor down-hole drives per se E21B4/00, E21B7/067 takes precedence

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to signal operated tools for milling, drilling, and/or fishing operations. In one embodiment, a mud motor for use in a wellbore includes: a stator; a rotor, the stator and rotor operable to rotate the rotor in response to fluid pumped between the rotor and the stator; and a lock. The lock is operable to: rotationally couple the rotor to the stator in a locked position, receive an instruction signal from the surface, release the rotor in an unlocked position, and actuate from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to receiving the instruction signal.

Claims

1. A mud motor for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a stator;

a rotor, the stator and rotor operable to rotate the rotor in response to fluid pumped between the rotor and the stator; and

a lock operable to;

rotationally couple the rotor to the stator in a locked position,

receive an instruction signal from the surface,

release the rotor in an unlocked position, and

actuate from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to receiving the instruction signal.

2. The mud motor of claim 1, wherein the lock is further operable to actuate from the unlocked position to the locked position in response to receiving a second instruction signal from the surface.

3. The mud motor of claim 1, wherein:

the rotor has a bypass formed therethrough,

the motor further comprises a valve operable between an open position and a closed position,

the valve opens the bypass in the open position and closes the bypass in the closed position, and

the valve is operably coupled to the lock so that the lock opens the valve when actuating from the unlocked position to the locked position.

4. The mud motor of claim 3, wherein the lock is further operable to release the valve, thereby allowing the valve to close when actuating from the locked position to the unlocked position.

5. The mud motor of claim 3, wherein the lock comprises a controller, and a position sensor or limit switch operable to determine a position of the lock and in communication with the controller.

6. The mud motor of claim 1, wherein the lock comprises a receiver operable to receive the instruction signal from a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

7. The mud motor of claim 6, wherein the lock comprises a transmitter operable to transmit a signal to the RFID tag.

8. A setting tool for setting an anchor, comprising:

a tubular housing having a port formed through a wall thereof;

a piston disposed in the housing and operable to inject fluid through the port;

an actuator operable;

to receive an instruction signal from the surface, and

to drive the piston in response to receiving the instruction signal.

9. A method of forming an opening in a wall of a wellbore, comprising:

deploying a drill string and a bottom hole assembly (BHA) into the wellbore, the BHA comprising a bit, mud motor, an orientation sensor, a setting tool, a whipstock, and an anchor;

orienting the whipstock while injecting drilling fluid through the motor sufficient to operate the orientation sensor, wherein the motor is in a locked position; and

sending an instruction signal to the setting tool, thereby setting the anchor.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sending a second instruction signal to the motor, thereby unlocking the motor;

lowering the motor and bit along the whipstock and into engagement with a wall of the wellbore, wherein the motor rotates the bit and the bit forms the opening.

11. A data sub for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a tubular housing having a bore formed therethrough;

one or more sensors disposed in the housing; and

a transmitter disposed in the housing and operable to transmit a measurement from the sensor to the surface.

12. The data sub of claim 11, further comprising:

a receiver disposed in the housing and operable to receive an instruction signal from the surface; and

a controller disposed in the housing, in communication with the sensors, transmitter, and receiver and operable to operate the transmitter in response to receiving the instruction signal from the surface.

13. The data sub of claim 11, wherein the sensors comprise a pressure sensor in communication with the housing bore and an exterior of the data sub and a temperature sensor.

14. The data sub of claim 11, wherein the sensors comprise a strain gage oriented to measure longitudinal strain of the housing and a torsional strain gage oriented to measure torsional strain of the housing.

15. A method of transmitting data from a depth in a wellbore distal from the surface to the surface, comprising:

measuring a parameter using a data sub interconnected in a tubular string disposed in the wellbore, wherein the data sub is at the distal depth;

transmitting the measurement from the data sub to a repeater sub interconnected in the tubular string, wherein the repeater sub is at a depth between the distal depth and the surface; and

retransmitting the measurement from the repeater sub to the surface.

16. A jar for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a tubular mandrel;

a tubular housing;

a fluid chamber formed between the housing and the mandrel;

a piston operable to increase pressure in the chamber in response to longitudinal displacement of the mandrel relative to the housing;

a valve operable to open the chamber in response to a predetermined longitudinal displacement of the mandrel relative to the housing; and

a lock operable to;

longitudinally couple the mandrel to the housing in a locked position,

receive an instruction signal from the surface,

release the mandrel in an unlocked position, and

actuate from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to receiving the instruction signal.

17. A jar for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a tubular mandrel;

a tubular housing;

a valve;

longitudinally coupled to the mandrel,

operable to at least substantially restrict fluid flow through the jar in a closed position, thereby exerting tension on the mandrel, and

operable to open in response to a predetermined longitudinal displacement of the mandrel relative to the housing; and

a lock operable to;

longitudinally couple the mandrel to the housing in a locked position,

receive an instruction signal from the surface,

release the mandrel in an unlocked position, and

actuate from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to receiving the instruction signal.

18. A fishing tool for engaging a tubular stuck in a wellbore, comprising:

a tubular housing having an inclined surface;

a grapple having an inclined surface longitudinally movable along the inclined surface of the housing, thereby radially moving the grapple between a retracted position and an engaged position;

an actuator operable to;

longitudinally restrain the grapple in the released position,

receive an instruction signal from the surface, and

longitudinally move the grapple from the released position to the engaged position in response to receiving the instruction signal.

19. The fishing tool of claim 18, wherein the actuator is further operable to actuate the grapple from the engaged position to the released position in response to receiving a second instruction signal from the surface.

20. A method of freeing a fish stuck in a wellbore:

deploying a fishing assembly into the wellbore, the fishing assembly comprising a workstring, a jar, and a fishing tool, wherein the jar is in a locked position;

engaging the fishing tool with the fish;

sending an instruction signal from the surface to the fishing tool, thereby engaging a grapple of the fishing tool with the fish;

sending a second instruction signal from the surface to the jar, thereby unlocking the jar; and

firing the jar, thereby exerting an impact on the fish.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the fishing assembly further comprises a data sub, and

the method further comprises;

measuring the impact using the data sub; and

transmitting the measurement to the surface.

22. A disconnect tool for use in a string of tubulars, comprising:

a tubular mandrel;

a tubular housing;

a latch longitudinally coupling the housing and the mandrel;

a lock operable to engage the latch in a locked position and disengage from the latch in a released position;

an actuator operable to;

receive an instruction signal from the surface, and

move the lock to the released position in response to receiving the instruction signal.

23. A disconnect tool for use in a string of tubulars, comprising:

a tubular mandrel;

a tubular housing;

a latch operable to longitudinally couple the housing and the mandrel in an engaged position, wherein the latch is fluidly operable to a disengaged position;

a valve operable to;

receive an instruction signal from the surface, and

open in response to receiving the instruction signal, thereby providing fluid communication between a bore of the housing and the latch.

24. A disconnect tool for use in a string of tubulars, comprising:

a tubular mandrel having a threaded inner surface;

a tubular housing having a plurality of openings formed radially through a wall thereof;

an arcuate dog disposed in each opening, each dog having an inclined inner surface and portion of a thread corresponding to the mandrel thread and radially movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position,

wherein the thread portion engages the mandrel thread in the engaged position, thereby longitudinally and rotationally coupling the housing and the mandrel; and

a tubular sleeve having an inclined outer surface operable to engage with the inclined inner surface of each dog.

25. A method of drilling a wellbore, comprising:

deploying a drilling assembly in the wellbore, the drilling assembly comprising a drill string, a disconnect tool, and a drill bit;

injecting drilling fluid through the drilling assembly and rotating the bit, thereby drilling the wellbore;

sending an instruction signal from the surface, thereby operating the disconnect tool and releasing the drill bit from the drill string.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

raising the drill string, thereby creating a gap between the drill bit and the drill string;

deploying a logging tool through the drill string to the gap; and

logging the gap.

27. A drilling assembly, comprising:

a tubular drill string;

a drill bit longitudinally coupled to an end of the drill string;

a plurality of data subs interconnected with the drill string, each data sub comprising;

a strain gage oriented to measure torque or longitudinal load; and

a transmitter.

28. A method of determining a freepoint of a drilling assembly stuck in a wellbore, wherein the drilling assembly comprises a drill string and a plurality of data subs interconnected with the drill string, comprising:

exerting a torque and/or tension on the stuck drilling assembly from the surface;

measuring a response of the drilling assembly to the torque and/or tension using the data subs;

transmitting the measured response from the data subs to the surface; and

determining a freepoint of the drilling assembly using the transmitted response.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein:

the drilling assembly further comprises a plurality of disconnects interconnected with the drill string; and

the method further comprises operating one of the disconnects closest to and above the freepoint, thereby releasing a free portion of the drilling assembly from the stuck portion of the drilling assembly.

30. A cutter for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a tubular housing having a one or more openings formed through a wall thereof;

one or more blades, each blade pivoted to the housing and rotatable relative thereto between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein each blade extends through a respective opening in the extended position;

a piston operable to move the blades to the extended position in response to injection of fluid therethrough;

a stop operable to;

receive a position signal from the surface, and

move to a set position in response to the signal.

31. The cutter of claim 30, wherein the stop is further operable to limit movement of the piston to the set position.

32. The cutter of claim 30, further comprising a position indicator operable to engage the piston, wherein the stop is further operable to move the indicator to the set position.

33. A cutter for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a tubular housing having a one or more openings formed through a wall thereof;

one or more blades, each blade pivoted to the housing and rotatable relative thereto between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein each blade extends through a respective opening in the extended position;

a mandrel operable to move the blades to the extended position;

an actuator operable to;

receive a position signal from the surface, and

move the mandrel to a set position in response to the position signal, thereby at least partially extending the blades.

34. A method of cutting or milling a tubular cemented to the wellbore:

deploying a cutting assembly into the wellbore, the cutting assembly comprising a workstring and a cutter;

sending an instruction signal to the cutter, thereby extending one or more blades of the cutter; and

rotating the cutter, thereby milling or cutting the tubular.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein:

the cutting assembly further comprises a second cutter in a retracted position during milling or cutting the casing or liner; and

the method further comprises;

sending a second instruction signal to the second cutter, thereby extending one or more blades of the second cutter; and

rotating the second cutter, thereby milling or cutting the tubular using the second cutter.